National League sources say the Phillies are amenable to dealing Michael Young and have expressed interest in Joba Chamberlain, a salary-dump swap that would save Philadelphia roughly $7 million. The sources also say Carlos Ruiz can be had before the deadline, too.
A Young-Chamberlain (or Ruiz-Chamberlain) swap wouldn’t be the most ideal trade for the Phillies, but it wouldn’t hurt. Michael Young is certainly tradeable, and, considering the circumstances, trading Young would be beneficial. Chamberlain would provide some much needed help in the bullpen, even though his numbers are poor this year. He could step into the 6th or 7th inning role for the Phils, who desperately need something. A fresh start could be what helps Chamberlain rerun to his dominant form from a few years back. Michael Young could go to the AL where he could flip between playing the field and being a DH. The trade makes sense for both teams on the surface.
However, I think that the Phillies need to be sellers at the deadline, and a Chamberlain for Young swap doesn’t really fit the description of “sell”. So I’d rather them hold on to Young and see what else they can get for him in the next few weeks. I hope this rumor stays just that–a rumor. What do you guys think?
